What Makes Us Stronger
by Brenna
Summary: Prequel to 'Legacies'. Josh and Donna have a hard road to travel.
1. Chapter One

"Josh!" Mary called to him as he walked hurriedly towards the Oval Office. "Your meeting with the insurance industry guys is in the Mural room!" 

"Go stall them!" he shouted over his shoulder not even breaking stride.

"What the hell's going on?" asked CJ as she came out of her office.

"No idea," Mary admitted. She and Josh had learned to get along well as boss and assistant after a rocky start two years ago. Mary had Josh's previous assistant and current wife, Donna, to thank for that. She had divided her time for weeks between the offices of the President and the Deputy Chief of Staff training Mary to deal with Josh's eccentricities. "I guess I'd better go stall the insurance people though," she decided as CJ followed her colleague down the hall.

"Josh, what's going on?" she asked as her long legged strides quickly allowed her to catch up with him.

"It's....it's nothing to do with work, CJ, and let's leave it at that for now. Please," Josh requested as he stopped just before the hallway that led into the Oval Office. "Just go back to work." He then left her standing there confused as he strode off towards the Oval.

"Ooookay...." CJ murmured turning around to return to her office to prepare for her next briefing.

Josh reached Donna's desk and quickly knelt down beside her. "Donnatella?" he asked quietly. Donna put her hand on his shoulder as if she needed that contact to hold herself upright, and he could see the tears pooling in her eyes. "Ok," he said reading the answer to his unspoken question in her eyes. He picked up the phone on her desk and quickly dialed. "Margaret, is Leo in his office?"

"He's meeting with Nancy McNally, Josh" Margaret told him. "Is there a message I can give him for you?"

"No, I'm coming over there now," Josh told her before hanging up. "Charlie, I need you and Nancy to cover for Donna for awhile." Charlie nodded his understanding, but his expression spoke loudly of his confusion. Thankfully, though, he didn't ask any questions. "Come on, sweetheart. We're going to Leo's office," Josh whispered coaxingly to Donna as he helped her stand. He couldn't take Donna into the Oval Office, and so the next closest option on his mental list was Leo. "Not far," he murmured as he lead her past Margaret in the outer office and into Leo's inner sanctum without bothering to knock.

"Josh, I'm in a meeting here!" Leo growled at him. His eyes widened as Josh ignored him, instead leading Donna like a child to the leather sofa. Leo and Nancy traded worried looks as they noticed the tears in Donna's eyes as she lay flat on her back on the sofa. "Josh, what's going on?"

Josh still didn't answer though as pulled the phone from the table beside the sofa to the floor beside him where he knelt by Donna's side. "This is Josh Lyman. I need to speak with Dr. McFadden," he told whoever answered at the other end. "Yeah, doctor. No, she's not in pain, but she's bleeding again. No. Okay."

Nancy motioned for Leo to follow her as she walked quietly into the outer office. She shut the door quietly behind them. "Leo, I think you'd better clear Josh's schedule for the day and get someone to cover for Donna."

"Wha?" he asked looking back over his shoulder at the closed door to his office.

"I recognized the number Josh dialed. Dr. McFadden is one of the top OB/GYN's in DC, Leo" she explained. "She specializes in problem pregnancies."

Leo's eyes widened as he began adding up what he'd seen and heard in his office with that fact. "God, can't those two catch a break!" he cried. Closing his eyes he remembered how Josh's free hand had clasped Donna's where they rested like a shield over her stomach. "You think Abby could help?" he asked the National Security Advisor.

"Couldn't hurt," she decided after a moment's thought. "At worst having Abby look at her will calm them down a bit. If what we suspect is happening, that's probably about all anyone can do."

Finally remembering that Margaret was in the room, Leo turned to her. "Keep what you just heard to yourself, Margaret" he ordered her. "We don't know what's going on, yet."

Margaret nodded. "Should I go help Mary clear Josh's schedule?"

"Yeah," Leo replied running a hand distractedly through his hair. "Postpone what you can. Have Toby or Sam take what meetings they can, and I'll deal with whatever else there is. Have Bonnie come up and cover for Donna," he told her. As she left to carry out his instructions, he picked up the phone on her desk and called the First Lady's office. 

"What's up, Leo?" Abby asked when she answered the phone.

"I need you to come down to my office. Josh just lead Donna in there and laid her on the couch in the middle of my meeting with Nancy. Then he called some Doctor named McFadden and told him..."

"Her," Nancy corrected him.

"...her that Donna was bleeding again. Nancy says this McFadden is an OB/GYN," Leo explained before pausing for breath.

"I'll be right there Leo. Don't panic," the First Lady ordered her friend.

"I'm gonna go talk to him. Can we...." Leo began to ask.

"Yeah, this is small stuff. It'll keep," the National Security Advisor assured him.

Leo opened the office door slowly not knowing what he'd find.

"We're going to get through this, Donnatella," Josh whispered as he gently wiped the tears from her eyes ignoring the ones slowly falling from his own. "No matter what happens, we're going to get through this together."

"Donna," Leo said quietly. "I need to talk to Josh for just a second. We're going to be right outside, okay? Just yell if you need us. Can you handle that?" Leo asked.

Donna nodded. "It's okay," she replied though her voice was raw from the sobs she was unable to fully suppress.

"Just a minute," Josh assured her as he pressed a kiss to her forehead then followed Leo into the outer office.

"Josh, is Donna having a miscarriage?" Leo asked quietly.

"We don't know. The doctor thinks its just more spotting," Josh explained as he tiredly rubbed the back of his neck.

"More?" Leo asked.

"It's happened three times already," Josh said the worry clearly evident in his voice. "Never this bad before though."

"Josh, why haven't you said anything?" Leo asked unable to mask the hurt tone in his voice.

"There's a history of problem pregnancies in Donna's family. Her mom had three miscarriages, and her sister's already had two. It's become a thing in her family that they just don't talk about it until the second trimester when most of the danger has past," Josh explained knowing he was babbling. "Donna....when her sister lost the first baby they'd already told everyone. People were sending baby presents and congratulations, and she'd have to send them back and explain over and over and over again that the baby died. So now they just don't...."

"I understand," Leo assured him. "How much longer until Donna's in the second semester?"

"Trimester, Leo" Josh corrected him without thinking. "Three more weeks."

"Joshua," Abigail Bartlet greeted him as she strode into the office trailed by her agents.

"Ma'am, what...." Josh asked.

"I called her," Leo told him.

"You gentleman stay out here," she told her agents.

"Ma'am," Agent Samuels protested.

"Agent Samuels, unless you're married to the young woman in there...." the First Lady began. "Which I think Josh here would object to, you are not going to be present while I examine her. Are we clear?" she asked in that sugar sweet voice that meant she was going to cut you off at the knees if you didn't agree.

"Yes, ma'am," he agreed.

"Good," she said before quietly opening the door to Leo's office. "Donna? How are you doing, sweetie?"

"Dr. Bartlet?" Donna asked swiveling her head around where it rested on the arm of the couch.

"What's going on?" she asked again.

"I'm spotting," Donna told her. "There's no cramping or pain though. Dr. McFadden, my OB, says it's probably just spotting..."

"She's probably right," Abby agreed. "But would it make you feel better if I examined you? At the very least I want to check your vitals."

"It would make me feel better," Donna agreed. "Thank you."

Abby squeezed the younger woman's hand where it still rested on her stomach. "Jed and I consider you and Josh part of our family, Donna. If you need anything, anything at all. Just tell me. I had a hard time with Zoey," she admitted. "Sometimes it can help to talk to someone who's been there."

A few minutes later she stepped back into the outer office. "I think Dr. McFadden is right. She'll be alright. We need to keep her calm and still for awhile though to help get the bleeding stopped. I want to keep an eye on her as well. So I'm taking her up to the Residence. Josh, you come with us," she ordered.

"Leo?" Josh asked. Outwardly he was calm for the most part, but his eyes begged that he be allowed to stay with his wife.

"Mary's already clearing your schedule for the rest of the day," Leo assured him. "Josh....if the Press gets wind of something going on out here what do you want me to have CJ do?" he asked.

"Keep it quiet if you can. Don't let them run with any rumors that she's dying, but she..."

Leo nodded. "Go take care of Donna," he ordered his deputy.

Josh nodded then headed back into Leo's office. A few seconds later he emerged with his arms around Donna as he led her towards the Residence. The tears had dried on her face, and she rested her head on Josh's shoulder.


	2. Chapter Two

As they walked away Leo heard his name being called and turned to find CJ bearing down on him anger apparent in her every step. Not far behind her were Toby and Sam neither of whom appeared to be in a better mood.

"Leo, I just..." CJ began only to be cut off as Leo put his hand over her mouth. Her eyes widen in surprise at his unusual method of silencing her.

"Not a word from any of you until we're in my office," he whispered to them.

"What's going on, Leo?" CJ demanded as soon as the door shut. "I just got ambushed in a briefing with the fact that the First Lady got called over here on a medical emergency. My gaggle want to know what's wrong with the President? And I wanna know why I had to learn of it from them?!"

"And why may I ask am I covering Josh's meetings?" Toby asked.

Leo was silent for a minute glaring at the them. "Do you have something to ask, Samuel?" Leo ask sarcastically.

"What's wrong with Donna?" Sam whispered. "I saw Josh and the First Lady leading her towards the Residence as we came in."

"Donna?" questioned CJ as she spun around to gape at Sam. "Someone called the First Lady over for Donna?"

"I called Abby over, and yes it's something with Donna."

"What?" Toby asked in his most quiet whisper.

Leo raked a hand through his hair unsure if he should be the one to tell the others, but then decided that he could at least spare Josh and Donna this. He would need their help in getting the Press off the story anyway. "Donna may be having a miscarriage," Leo finally answered. "She's bleeding, but both her own doctor and Abby think it's just spotting. They think the baby'll be ok."

"But they're not sure?" Sam asked.

"No, there's a history of miscarriages in Donna's family. They haven't said anything about her pregnancy 'cause they wanted to wait until she was out of the first...."

"Trimester," CJ finished when he hesitated. "Most miscarriages happen in the first trimester."

"Yeah."

"How much longer?"

"Three weeks," Leo answered Toby's half-asked question. "CJ tell the gaggle that the First Lady was called to the West Wing, but it had nothing to do with the President or his health. A staffer had become ill, and per White House policy concerning the personal lives of our staff that is all we have to say on the matter."

"Okay," CJ agreed. "What if something gets out?"

"Unless it starts to be a thing we don't want what really happened out. Josh and Donna have enough to deal with without adding the Press into the mix," Leo told them. "Do you guys have Josh's schedule covered or do I need to take something?"

"We've got it, Leo" Sam assured him as he stood to leave. "In fact, I've gotta go deal with the insurance people."

CJ and Toby followed their younger colleague out of Leo's office. CJ heading back to the briefing room while Toby went back to his office.

"Carol!" CJ yelled for her assistant. "Get the gaggle back into the Briefing room. Tell them I have a brief statement that won't take more than five minutes."

A few minutes later, CJ stood behind the podium. "Afternoon, I have a brief statement concerning Ted's question earlier. The First Lady was called over to the West Wing of the White House approximately an hour and a half ago due to a medical emergency. A staffer had become ill. The President is fine, and in fact was not even aware of the situation. As per White House policy concerning the personal lives of the staff, that is all I have to say on the matter."

"CJ!" several reporters screamed trying through sheer volume to gain her attention, but she ignored them all as she stepped away from the podium.

"CJ," she heard a familiar voice from behind her as she walked back towards her office.

"Danny," she greeted him. 

"Ask me into your office?" he asked quietly.

"Danny, there is nothing wrong with the President," she repeated as she closed her office door.

"What's wrong with Josh?" Danny asked. "Sam's meeting with the insurance reps. He's not in his office, and when I asked Ginger where Bonnie was, she said Bonnie was covering for Donna."

"Danny, this isn't news."

"Less than a year ago he admitted he was suffering from PTSD. If the Deputy Chief of Staff has had a break down it is news, CJ" Danny argued.

"It's not Josh, Danny" CJ told him. 

"If it's not Josh..."

"Off the record?" CJ asked.

Danny nodded. "What's going on?"

"Donna's pregnant. She's been having some problems."

"This afternoon?"

"She started bleeding. Donna's OB and Abby think she and the baby will be okay, but Abby's taken her over to the Residence to rest," CJ explained. "Josh is with her."

"Okay," Danny said. "How are you going to handle this?"

CJ rubbed her neck absent-mindedly. "We want this under the radar. Donna needs to stay as stress free as possible."

"That's going to be pretty tough around here," Danny reminded her. "I'll sit on this and try to keep others off it as long as I can, but CJ..."

"I know," she admitted. "I've got an idea, but I'm going to have to run it by Leo and the President. You're a good friend, Danny" she told him giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Now get out of here."

Danny re-entered the area of the West Wing reserved for the press to find quite a few others waiting for him. "It's not news," he told them. 

"So you know who it is?" Katie asked.

"Yeah," Danny replied.

"And you're telling us it's not news," Ted asked. "You're not just saying that because you're friends with them."

"Unless you work for the National Enquirer, it's not news. And frankly, even if you did work for the Enquirer, the staffer in question isn't famous enough to be worth the print," Danny lied. Donna may not be famous enough to be worth it, but her husband definitely was. If the shooting hadn't already made him a household name, his proposal to Donna at the Kennedy Center had certainly made them DC's most romantic couple. Then had come the fairy tale wedding in the White House Rose Garden. All of this had been surpassed by Josh's admission during a Dateline interview that he had suffered from PTSD after Rosslyn. The Republicans had fanned the flames in the Press saying he was too mentally unstable to do his job. It didn't matter to them that by the time it had become public, Josh had it under control. He didn't even need to see his therapist anymore, let alone take medication for it.


	3. Chapter Three

The ax fell six weeks after the First Lady's impromptu house call to the West Wing, in CJ's noon briefing when Katie asked if Donna was pregnant.

"Yes, Katie" CJ replied having had six weeks and the help of Sam and Toby to craft her answer. "The White House is happy to announce that Deputy Chief of Staff, Josh Lyman, and his wife Donnatella, the President's secretary, are expecting their first child in early January."

"A follow-up. Six weeks ago the First Lady was called down to the West Wing on a medical emergency. Was that...

"Yes," CJ interrupted. "Donna is having a difficult pregnancy, and that day the First Lady was called because she was experiencing some spotting. And before you ask, I have no further comment on Donna's or the baby's health. This administration fought a long hard battle for the President's right to privacy concerning his health. His staff deserve no less consideration."

"CJ!" reporters around the room called trying to draw her attention to them.

"Before I answer any more questions, I need to take care of some housecleaning matters regarding the policy concerning Press access to the President's daughters and granddaughter," CJ told them. This was the part of her answer that had taken CJ, Sam, Toby, Leo, and the President hours to hash out. "I'm sure you'll all join me in congratulating the President and First Lady on the adoption of their new daughter. Her name is Donnatella, and she's going to make the President a grandfather again in January," CJ said. "Donnatella, like their other daughters, is off limits to members of the Press. Any attempt to circumvent this policy will result in the reporter in question losing their credentials. And most likely their entire organization being banned from the White House. Do I have your understanding?" she asked. The small smile on her face told the members of the White House Press Corp that this was CJ at her most dangerous. A ragged little chorus of affirmative answers was her response. "Good. Now let's talk about death and taxes. The proposed changes to the inheritance tax..." she said continuing the briefing not giving them a chance to ask any further questions about Donna's pregnancy.

"Danny!" Katie called to him as he headed back to his cubicle following the briefing.

"What's up?" he asked.

"What the hell were you thinking sitting on this story? Do you want to lose your job?" she demanded in a low whisper.

"I'd rather lose my job than see Josh and Donna lose their baby," he snarled at her in return. "You knew I was sitting on the story. You had to. Didn't it occur to you to ask me why, Katie?"

"What..." Katie asked though her face had lost its color.

"Donna's come close to losing the baby several times, Katie. Her doctor is this close to putting her on total bed rest," Danny told her gesturing with his thumb and forefinger. "She can't have any stress right now. So putting every reporter in DC in stalking mode really didn't help her, now did it?"

"I..." Katie stuttered unready to defend her actions.

"Katie, sometimes you have to know the difference between being a good reporter and being a good human being. Today you chose to be a good reporter, but you forgot to be a good human being," Danny told his younger colleague quietly then turned and walked away.

Despite CJ's decree at the noon briefing when Josh and Donna returned to their brownstone home late that night they arrived to find a crowd of reporters waiting out front. When one of the reporters recognized Josh's car he rushed forward asking questions through the tinted windows. The other reporters were no more than a second behind him. Honking the horn in warning, Josh stepped on the gas driving away from their home. 

"Josh, we can't just drive around," Donna told him. "We have to go home sometime."

"Not right now, we don't" Josh told her as he pulled his cell phone from his coat. Hitting one of the speed dial numbers he waited a few seconds for an answer. "Sam, you're having overnight guests. Bunch of blood-sucking reporters are outside our house. We're about five minutes away."

"I'll get the guest room ready," Sam assured him. "Call CJ and have her go scare them away."

After hanging up with Sam, Josh did just that. By the time CJ arrived at the Lyman home, the more experienced reporters had cleared out, but some of those with less developed survival instincts were still outside when the wrath of CJ Cregg descended on them. CJ's first briefing the next morning proved to be more entertaining than informative as the New York Times, CNN, and FoxNews had their White House credentials pulled live on C-SPAN for disobeying the policy announced less than 24 hours earlier. 

The damage had been done however. On the drive over to Sam's house, Donna had lost consciousness and pitched forward in her seat causing Josh to immediately head for GW hospital. She was admitted for observation and treatment of dangerously high blood pressure. Word had filtered out to the Press Corp that Donna had been admitted to the hospital, and the remaining reporters had gone into duck and cover mode. The entire White House staff, from the President and Senior Staff down to the gardeners and stewards, were out for reporter blood. 

"I didn't realize," Katie mumbled as she slumped against the wall of Danny's cubicle where he was busily working on his column for the next day.

"No, you didn't think," Danny corrected her.

"Did she..."

"The baby's as much of a fighter as its parents. It's still hanging on," Danny told her. "Donna's the one they're worried about."

Katie visibly swallowed. "How do I make this right, Danny?" she asked.

"I don't know, Katie" he admitted. "I don't know if you can make this right."

Three days later during the morning staff meeting, the President asked, "Josh, how's Donna doing?" 

"I get to pick her up from the hospital this afternoon," Josh informed him with a tired smile. The last three days had been very tiring for Josh. After the first day of Donna's stay in the hospital she (and the hospital staff) had thrown him out of her room and told him to go back to work. So he had kept up with his schedule for the White House while trying to get over to the hospital to check on Donna every chance he got. Sleeping at night in the chair beside her bed that first night hadn't done the weakened muscles in his back any good either. "But Dr. McFadden wants her on bed rest for at least another couple weeks."

"So when do you think she'll be coming back to work?" Leo asked hopefully. Margaret and Mary, Josh's assistant, were covering for Donna together while Josh and Leo sometimes made do with rabbits from the temp pool.

"It may not be until after the baby's born, Leo" Josh admitted. "Donna's body just can't handle the stress."

"Don't worry, Josh" Bartlet reassured him. "Donna's job is safe."

"Is she just going to sit at home for the rest of her pregnancy?" CJ asked. "I mean...Donna will go crazy with nothing to do."

"I've been thinking about that," Josh admitted. "I'm going to try to get her to finish her degree. Take classes."

"How are you handling all this, Josh?" Jed Bartlet asked.

"Me? I'm fine," Josh said dismissingly.

"Josh, did I ever tell you that Abby had problems when she was carrying Zoey?" the President asked not ready to let the subject drop just yet. The expression in his eyes conveying more than words that he understood what Josh was feeling. "I spent so much time in church praying that Abby thought I was reconsidering the priesthood," he told them his joking tone belying the seriousness of what he'd said. "It might help to talk about it, son" Bartlet suggested. 

Josh didn't speak for a moment as he tried to hold back the tears the President's words had evoked. It wasn't only the offer of comfort, but that Josh knew the President meant it when he called Josh his son. Over the last few months as Donna's pregnancy had suffered one complication after another, Josh had longed to be able to sit down with his father and tell him about all he was feeling. All the hopes and dreams and fears tied to the tiny being struggling to grow inside Donna's womb. 

"She won't talk about the baby," Josh finally whispered. "It scares me that she won't talk about it. I mean...this is Donna and I. We talk about everything, but she won't talk about this."

"Josh, you told me yourself that with all the problems they've had in Donna's family that they just don't talk about it," Leo reminded him.

"I know," Josh agreed. "In my head, I know that. My heart's having trouble with it though."


	4. Chapter Four

Later that week, as they lay spooned together in bed Josh asked, "Why don't you start planning the nursery?" With Donna confined at home, it seemed at times that their late night conversations were the only time they had to be together. Josh tried to make it home for a few hours each evening to spend time with Donna, but it didn't always work out that way. 

"No," Donna told him. "Not yet...just not yet."

"Okay," Josh agreed before softly kissing the nape of her neck. "Donna, Ken Ingersoll came to see me today. He's not going to run again." Ingersoll was the senior Senator from Connecticut, and Josh knew Donna would understand what his visit meant. She was quiet for so long though that Josh was afraid he'd somehow made her angry. "Donna?"

Finally she turned to face him. "I guess that means we need to start house hunting," she said with a small grin. "Your mom and I can start looking over the internet. Once I'm cleared to get out of this damn bed, we can drive up there on the weekend and go look at some of the better prospects."

Josh grinned back. "You sure?" he asked. "Campaigning with a new baby is going to be tough."

"Josh, you and I both love a good campaign. How could our baby be any different?" she asked. 

He was relieved to hear her speaking of the baby in the future. Donna still had trouble letting herself believe that their baby was going to make it, but he knew that this child was just as much of a fighter as his or her parents. Their baby would make it. At least looking for a house for them in Connecticut would keep Donna from being too bored with her enforced bed rest. Two weeks later Donna's doctor finally allowed her out of bed, but she refused to let her return to work. Donna was more than a little angry when Josh supported the doctor's orders. 

"I'm bored!" she pouted. "I want to go back to work."

"Donna, you can't," the doctor had told her. "Working at the White House is too stressful for you right now."

"I'm not a house wife. I will _**never be**_ a house wife," Donna argued.

"How about a student then?" Josh suggested. "You only have five classes left, Donna. Why don't you take them all this semester? Would going to classes be too stressful for her?"

"I wouldn't think so," Dr. McFadden agreed cautiously.

"You could graduate before the baby's born," Josh cajoled his wife. Since just after the election, Donna had been working to finish her degree by taking one or two evening classes a semester including summers. Josh had always been supportive of her finishing her education, even before they had become a couple. Now she was within reach of her bachelor's degree in political science from Georgetown. She had planned to take time off work to spend with the baby and finish her degree, but Josh knew if he made a run for Senate there wouldn't be time after the baby was born for that. 

"Who's going to cover for me?" Donna asked Josh.

"Mary," Josh answered with a long-suffering sigh. "She's found someone to train to handle me."

"Alright," Donna finally agreed. Josh could tell that the idea of finally being able to finish her degree was growing on her. "What about driving up to Connecticut? Josh and I need to look for a house."

"Surely you could put that off..."

"No," Donna said. "We need to establish residency, Becca."

"Okay," she said clearly puzzled.

"Josh is going to be running for Senate, Becca" Donna explained. "We need to establish residency there soon or he won't be eligible."

"Take it easy," Dr. McFadden warned her patient. "But I don't think it would be too much for you. Wait a week though. Okay?"

Donna nodded easing herself off the examination table so that she could put her own clothes back on.

"We're invited to dinner now that you're allowed out of bed," Josh told her. "Do you feel up to it?"

"As long as I don't have to eat chili," Donna replied with a happy laugh.

Donna was greeted with hugs from everyone when she stepped into the White House for the first time in almost three weeks. Everyone was aware that Donna and the baby still weren't out of danger so the conversation at dinner than night stayed confined to gossip about co-workers and the business of the government. No one wanted to upset Donna, and they knew from Josh that she still had trouble talking about the baby. After dinner the First Lady banished all the men to another room with orders to go watch television. It was just the release Donna needed. 

"I miss you all so much," she sobbed softly.

"Well now that you're allowed out of bed you'll just have to come visit us," CJ told her. "And Josh will let us come visit."

Donna laughed a bit. "Yeah, he's been getting revenge for 'the rules'," she admitted. 

"He's worried about you," Ainsley told her. "We all are."

"I'm doing better," Donna assured them. 

"It scares Josh that you won't talk about the baby," CJ told her cautiously.

Donna brought her gaze up and looked at the women surrounding her. Every one of them had such a serious expression on her face. "Oh God," Donna cried. "It didn't even...I..." she tried to explain.

"It's alright, Donna" the First Lady told her coming to her rescue. "We understand. As long as you don't talk about it it seems like you can ignore that anything is wrong."

"Yeah," Donna agreed.

"Talk to us, Donna" CJ begged. 

"I want this baby so much," Donna sobbed as she rested her hand on her abdomen. "And I'm so afraid."

"You're going to make it, Donna" CJ told her. "You are the strongest woman I have ever known. You and Josh have survived more shit than any two people I have ever met. God couldn't be so cruel."

"Besides," the First Lady told her, "this baby's already proven how tough he or she is."

Donna smiled. "Hopefully, he or she will enjoy campaigning," she told them.

"Campaigning?" CJ asked.

"Ingersoll approached Josh a couple weeks ago," she told them. "Josh and I've talked about it. We're going to run."

"Is Josh going to resign?" Ainsley questioned her.

"It's a little early for that," Donna replied. "We haven't really talked about it much yet. Josh won't officially announce his candidacy until after the baby's born."

"You know you have our support," the First Lady told her.

"That goes for all of us," Ainsley told her.

CJ reached over to squeeze Donna's hand where it rested in her lap. "And that doesn't go just for the campaign," she reminded her friend.


	5. Chapter Five

Donna spent the next afternoon registering for classes at Georgetown. The President, with some urging from Josh she was sure, had even sent Charlie to register with her not wanting her to be out by herself so soon after being released by the doctor. Donna felt well enough that weekend for the drive to Connecticut. She and Josh along with his mother looked at the half dozen houses that they had decided were possibilities.

"This is the one isn't it?" Josh asked her as they stood on the back deck of a modest sized house only a few miles from the house he grew up in. He imagined himself watching for his teenage daughters returning from dates out the picture window in the living room. He saw the gatherings of friends and family in the dining room for many years to come. It was by far not the largest house they had looked at, but the sweet little four bedroom home called to both of them as the place they would raise their family.

"Yeah," Donna agreed looking out at the large back yard complete with swing set. Josh wasn't the only one imagining their life here in this house. Donna pictured herself watching her children playing on that swing set from the kitchen window as she sat gossiping with her mother-in-law or friends. "Can we afford this, Josh?" Donna worried. "Two houses for over more than two years. It will cut into our savings pretty deep," she warned.

Glancing over his shoulder to make sure the real estate agent had really given them some privacy, he replied, "If we're going to run, it's what we need to do. Despite your constant nagging for a raise, we do get paid well at the White House."

"I'm not working though," she argued. "And the medical bills...."

"Are covered by our insurance," he reminded her. They talked for several more minutes before finally deciding. "Make an offer," Josh told the real estate agent who had accompanied them.

Donna settled into her classes with little difficulty, but she did miss her work at the White House. The President had banned her from the premises though except for social functions so she resigned herself to being out of the loop. Ironically, the only class she had any problems with was a course on the federal government. The professor was not a fan of President Bartlet, and Donna found it hard to balance her desire for a good grade with her need to defend her 'adopted father'. The situation came to a head in her fifth week in class when her professor went off on yet another diatribe against the President and his administration, but this time was different.

"...his secretary. How can this man have the moral right to lead our country?" Dr. Danielson asked his class as he tried to ignore the young blonde woman bearing down on him from the auditorium style seats in the large classroom. "Miss, please return to your seat," he ordered as he pointed towards the back rows where Donna had been sitting.

"It's misses, Dr. Danielson. Mrs. Donnatella Lyman, and unless I heard you incorrectly just now, you just called me a whore!" she snapped. "Something which you will damn well apologize for. **_Now!_**" The other students in the classroom sat in stunned silence watching the drama unfolding before them.

"Young lady, how can you possibly take my comments concerning the President's secretary..." Danielson argued in a patronizingly mocking tone.

"I am the President's secretary, you jackass!" Donna informed him. "I am currently on medical leave because of my pregnancy. You teach a class on the federal government, and you don't recognize me?!" she demanded. "I testified for almost three weeks before Congress on the MS thing. Not to mention my husband proposing to me at a live concert at the Kennedy center. We were in the DC Society pages for days. Then of course was Josh's PTSD."

"I..." Danielson stuttered but Donna continued before he could even attempt to defend himself.

"Have you ever met the President? Or the First Lady?" she demanded. "How can you possibly claim to know about their marriage when you've never even met them? Have you ever met my husband? I certainly haven't told you about our relationship! Yet you seem to think you know what goes on in my bedroom better than I do," Donna snarled as black spots danced across her vision. She knew that getting upset like this wasn't good for the baby or her own health, but just couldn't stop herself. "For your information, the President and First Lady have a wonderful marriage, and the idea that he'd even _**look **_at another woman is just so incredibly unbelievable. The two of them still act like they're on their honeymoon. As for my husband and I," Donna continued as she brought her hand up to caress her swelling stomach. "I think it's pretty obvious we're enjoying each other," she informed him with a smirk causing the rest of the students to laugh. That laughter turned to gasps of dismay though as they watched Donna slouch towards the floor. Two young men in the front row managed to break her fall while a young woman sitting next to them shouted that she'd call 911. When the ambulance arrived Donna had regained consciousness and was already on the phone to her husband. She made no protest when the EMT's suggested that she allow them to take her to the Emergency Room.


	6. Chapter Six

Donna was greeted with cheering and more than a few whispers as she returned to class four weeks later. The whispers she knew were because her husband was escorting her into class. He was still unsure about her return to class, but she had won this particular battle. Donna knew as well as Josh did that if they were to stand a chance of winning Ingersoll's vacated Senate seat in a little over a year and a half she was going to be too busy to take classes after the baby was born. The campaign would be difficult enough with a new baby. Josh helped Donna lower herself into the uncomfortable plastic seats of the classroom.

"Okay?" he asked as he gently rubbed the swell of their child.

"Yes, Joshua" Donna assured him letting the exasperation she felt with him show in the tone of her voice before ruining the effect by smiling as she covered his hand on her abdomen.

"Ethan, Greg, Bri" Josh greeted the three students sitting next to his wife. "I want to thank you again for all you did for Donna when she collapsed and for helping her keep up with her classes this last month."

"It was no problem, Mr....Josh" Ethan corrected himself as he remembered that Josh had told all of them to call him by his first name.

"Really, we were happy to do it," Bri told him repeating the sentiment of her friend.

"Well, we still want to thank you. We're having a dinner to celebrate Donna being back on her feet tonight at the House. You're all invited," Josh told them. "You can get a ride with Donna."

"Josh, your meeting," Donna interrupted him.

"Huh?" he asked.

"FEMA? Floods on the Mississippi? Disaster relief?" Donna prodded him. 

"I've got over an hour to get there," Josh said dismissing her reminder.

"Joshua," she sighed. "What have I been telling you for the past 7 years?"

"My watch sucks?" he guessed flashing his dimples at her.

"Yes, your watch sucks. You have forty-five minutes," she told him.

"M'kay," he agreed before giving her a soft kiss then leaning down to press an equally gentle kiss to the swell of their child. 

"Donna, it was really great of you guys to invite us to dinner tonight, but you shouldn't overdo it on your first day," Bri told her after Josh had left the classroom. "Why don't we just wait and you can have us over to your place in a couple weeks?" she suggested.

Donna frowned for a moment before she realized that her fellow students hadn't understood the invitation they'd received. 

"No, it's tonight," she said.

"Really," Ethan assured her after being jabbed in the ribs by Bri. "We can do this another time. We've gotta study for the exam in our world lit. class anyway."

"Right," Greg chimed in, totally cowed by the glare he was receiving from Bri. "Later."

"Tonight," Donna told them in the same voice she used to order around the most important men in the nation. 

"But..." Bri protested once again clearly worried about the other woman's health.

"Guys, we're not having dinner at my house," Donna explained taking pity on them. "When Josh said the house he meant the White House, and the invitation isn't from us."

"Huh?" Greg asked not quite catching on as his brain had shifted into neutral after the words 'White House' had left Donna's lips.

"We're having dinner with the President tonight. I hope you guys like chili," Donna told them. "He's insisting on cooking himself."

"That's not funny, Donna" Bri said angrily thinking Donna was playing a joke on her younger classmates. She knew very well that President Bartlet was one of Ethan's heroes. It was perhaps one of the main reasons Donna liked the younger woman so much. She saw so much of she and Josh in the younger couple. They were still stuck in the 'just friends' stage of their relationship, but Donna was hoping to give them a push in the right direction.

"I wasn't kidding," Donna assured the younger woman sincerely. "I'm going to need to vet you after class before we go over. If we leave right after class, I'll have time to give you a tour before we have to head over to the residence."

"Wow!" Greg whispered causing Donna to smile. 


	7. Chapter Seven

Donna did her best not to smile as her younger classmates followed her into the west wing. She could remember her own mouth hanging open in awe as she had trailed after Josh as they had taken office. Donna knew that the White House had been designed to evoke just this reaction in its visitors. She stopped to exchange greetings with a few staffers in the hallway giving Bri, Ethan, and Greg a chance to get their bearings as they gawked at their surroundings.

"So how are you feeling?" Bonnie asked as she gave Donna a hug.

"I'm fine," Donna assured her friend. "Bonnie, this is Bri, Ethan, and Greg. They helped me when I collapsed last month and have been helping me keep up with my classes while I was confined." Bonnie extended her hand and greeted each of them in turn. "Bonnie is one of the Communications assistants. She keeps Toby and Sam organized," Donna explained. 

"You giving them the tour?" Bonnie asked. "CJ's about to start the last briefing."

"Thanks," Donna told her. "I'll take them down to watch." Donna led her guests down to the briefing room where they stood along the back wall to watch CJ do the last briefing of the day.

"Good afternoon," CJ greeted the reporters gathered in the briefing room though the focus of more than a few of them was directed towards the back of the room where Donna stood observing. "First, since I can see I won't have your attention until it's out of the way, everybody say 'hi' to Donna who is returning for the first time since being released from her second confinement to bed rest. She's still on medical leave and just visiting today," CJ waited as the reporters called out greetings. "Donna, anything you want to say?"

"I want to thank all of you that sent cards and gifts during either of my hospital stays. Danny, I especially want to thank you for the daily delivery of the Post. It kept me from going crazy with boredom," Donna told them causing several members of the press corp to chuckle. "That's it."

"Okay," CJ said before continuing the briefing. She spoke for another fifteen minutes before delivering her last tidbit of the day. "Finally, the President is holding a small dinner party tonight in the Residence. The guest of honor is, wait for it, Donna Lyman. The President and his staff are celebrating her release from 'bed rest hell' as she puts it. Besides the First Family and members of the West Wing staff, three of Donna's fellow students at Georgetown University will be in attendance. Sabrina Johnson, Ethan Delany, and Greg Brenner. They were instrumental in getting medical help for Donna when she collapsed in class four weeks ago. This dinner is our way of saying thanks, and with that I'm putting the lid on. Have a nice evening everyone. See you bright and early tomorrow," she told them before stepping down from the podium. "Danny," she called beckoning him to the back of the room where Donna stood.

"What's up, Flamingo?" Danny asked with a smile.

"Do you have a death wish?" she asked with a glare.

"Awww...come on. I think it's a cute," Danny protested. Turning to the students he asked, "Don't you think it's cute?"

"They changed it three months ago," Donna told him. "She's 'Berkley' right now."

"How'd you....never mind," CJ decided. "Danny, the President wants to invite you to the dinner tonight as long as its understood that you're not there as a reporter. We all appreciate your help with keeping the lid on Donna's medical problems."

"I'm off the clock," Danny assured her. "I love chili!"

"You would," CJ groused as she led the group towards the Residence. "At least the First Lady's having the staff make something for those of us who don't have cast iron stomachs."

"Thank God," Donna said. "I have enough heartburn without adding the President's chili into the mix." The women in the group chuckled even though Donna was the only one of the three to experience pregnancy. CJ and Bri had both been around enough pregnant friends to be familiar with the heartburn, swollen ankles, and other joys that went with pregnancy. "Hey, Mary" she greeted the other woman as they approached her desk in the outer office. "Where's Charlie?"

"Deena's got Parent's Day at school," Mary told her. "The President gave him the day off to go. He was a little uncomfortable about it."

"Well, he's not much older than the students. So Deena's joining us tonight?" Donna asked.

"Yeah, the President and Leo want to grill her about this US History project she's doing," Mary explained. "You can go right in. They're waiting for you." Holding up a file folder she asked, "Can you take this to him, Donna?"

"You're putting me to work?" she gasped then smiled to let the other woman know she was joking. "Sure, Mary." CJ and Donna led the way into the Oval Office trailed by Danny and the three students. "Mr. President, Mary wanted me to give this to you."

"Donna!" the President greeted her as he came out from behind his desk to meet her. 

"You look..." Sam began as he surveyed the denim overalls and t-shirt she was wearing.

"One Wisconsin farm girl crack from the peanut gallery, and I'll have Margaret shuffling the Big Block of Cheese Day assignments, Samuel" Donna warned.

"Peanut gallery?" questioned Toby raising an eyebrow at her word choice. "How was your first day back in class?" 

"Amazingly stress free," Donna said with a glare. "It seems Dr. Danielson decided to take a sabbatical for the rest of the semester. None of you know anything about that would you?" she asked.

"Us?" Bartlet asked innocently. "Why aren't you accusing Josh?"

"Because she already threatened me if I did anything. Donna wants to fight her own battles," Josh explained. "Even though this is a family, and family help each other," he continued with a glare of his own for his wife even as he rubbed the ache in her lower back that never seemed to go away.

"Katie did that," Danny told them. "She wanted to make up for asking the question of CJ."

"Why..." CJ wondered.

"I....uh....sort of...." Danny mumbled.

"You yelled at her, didn't you fish boy?" CJ demanded.

"She yelled at me first!" he defended himself as he blushed brightly.

"CJ, call Carol and have her see if Katie's still here," the President ordered. "Invite her to dinner too. If that's okay with you, Donna?"

"She's forgiven," Donna assured him.


	8. Chapter Eight

"Is there enough for another bowl, sir?" Ethan asked to the amazement of the Senior staff.

Noticing the disbelieving looks Bri explained, "He's from Texas."

"Texas?" Bartlet asked. "So do you think I've been forgiven yet for that comment I made during the first campaign?" he asked the younger man as he refilled Ethan's bowl.

"I don't know, sir" Ethan replied with a slight grin. "We Texan's are awfully attached to our hats."

"So I've been told," the President sighed with a mock glare for his Senior staff. "Deena, have you decided what President you'll be doing your project on, 'cause you know...."

"Don't go there Jed" Abby warned him. 

"Yeah," Leo agreed. "She should do her project on..."

"Andrew Jackson who kept a..." CJ interrupted.

"...two ton block of cheese in the front hall of the White House," the rest of the Senior staff joined her in reciting.

"Both of you," Donna commanded. "Leave her alone. It's Deena's project not yours. Besides, don't you have something more important than a high school history project to spend your time on. Like...oh I don't know...running the country."

Donna's fellow students stilled as she reprimanded the commander in chief, but everyone else in the room including the commander in chief himself just laughed. They didn't realize that unofficially part of Donna's job was to bring the President back to reality when he went off on one of his lectures. It was something that Mrs. Landingham had done for more than thirty years and was the main reason why no assistant until Donna had lasted more than a few weeks. The President needed someone who could push back at him when needed, and none of the others had been able to do that.

"Yes, mother" Leo rumbled at her with an ironic smile as he rose from the table.

"Josh, Donna" Charlie said to get their attention as everyone moved into the sitting room from the dining room. "Deena, Zoey, and I have something we want to give you guys together."

"Since we're not letting the guys be part of your shower, Donna, we thought tonight would be a good night," Zoey explained as she got up and left the room with fiancé and Deena.

"My shower?" Donna asked clearly intrigued.

"Yeah...keep December 30th open," Abby told her. "We're going to have it here in the Residence."

The conversation was halted then as Charlie and Zoey returned carrying a beautiful cradle between them. Deena followed carrying a large gift-wrapped box. They placed both in front of Josh and Donna.

"Oh," Donna gasped as she traced her hand across the intricately carved "L" on the cradle. "It's gorgeous!"

"You shouldn't have spent so much..." Josh protested.

"We didn't," Charlie assured him. "You remember Mrs. Landingham left everything to Deena and me. This was in the attic of her house in Manchester," he explained. It had been a shock to Charlie and Deena to find that Mrs. Landingham had left everything to them. They had even tried to refuse it saying that it should rightfully go to the Bartlet's daughters. Zoey had quickly disabused them of that notion on her sister's behalf. Mrs. Landingham had wanted to help them. She and her sisters didn't need it, but Charlie and Deena could use her gift to help them through college. A week later, Charlie had been glad he'd been bullied into accepting her legacy. The money had gone to the lawyers he'd needed during the hearings, but they had managed to hold onto the house and its contents. The rent from the house paid Charlie's tuition and would soon help pay for Deena's. "I cleaned it up, and Zoey and Deena made...well just open the box."

Donna didn't have to be told twice. She made quick work of tearing through the wrapping of the box Deena had carried in. Lifting the lid she discovered bedding for the cradle.

"We had the mattress made, but it wasn't a standard size, so we made that for it," Deena explained.

"You won't be able to keep the baby in it for long," Abby told them. "But it will be good for the first few weeks. You'll be able to keep her with you in your room, and when she outgrows it, it will look wonderful in the nursery filled with her stuffed animals and toys."

"She left this for you," Donna protested. "We can't..."

"No," Charlie denied. "She would want you to have it."

"But," Donna tried again gesturing to the rest of the Senior staff.

"When they went up to get the cradle we went with them," Sam told her. "We each took something to remind us of her. Including the assistants."

"Are you sure?" Josh asked Charlie and Deena as he ran his hands over the lovingly restored wood of the cradle.

"Yes," Deena told them. 


	9. Chapter Nine

"Carol, it's gorgeous!" Donna exclaimed as she held the robe up for the inspection of the assembled White House Sisterhood. Her shower had been postponed one day because of a heavy snow storm the day before. Everyone had been sent home early before the storm had gotten really bad, but the city street crews had worked through the night making the roads safe for the morning commute. 

"That's for in the hospital," she explained. 

"Open that one there next, Donna" the First Lady ordered pointing towards the pile of gifts. "The one with the red ribbon." As Donna did as she asked the First Lady explained, "Since I'm the only one here who's been through this, I knew I'd be the only one to remember to get you what you really needed." As Dr. Bartlet said this Donna finished tearing the paper away revealing a box embossed in gold with the words 'Victoria's Secret.' "For after the checkup," the First Lady explained toasting the younger woman with her punch making Donna blush and the other women laugh. Donna's blush only deepened as she lifted the almost non-existent negligee from the tissue paper. She turned positively red when she saw the boxes of condoms underneath it.

"Ma'am!" Donna exclaimed.

"Please tell me you didn't buy those yourself," CJ begged imagining the questions from the Press Corp.

"I don't know CJ, I think it would help the President's image," Carol teased her boss. "That's quite an impressive collection there."

"Mom had me buy them," Zoey said with a conspiratorial wink at her mother.

Not to be out done by her youngest daughter the First Lady said, "Well that will certainly improve Charlie's reputation."

The gathered women tried mightily to school their expressions in the face of CJ's pained grimace, but soon lost the battle and started to laugh.

"Hahaha..." CJ told them. "Well at least Sam hasn't slept with another hooker," she joked.

"Call girl," Ginger, Donna, and Margaret reminded her as one. 

Donna shifted in her seat trying to find a more comfortable position. The ache in her back had noticeably sharpened as she laughed with the other women at CJ's expense.

"Donna?" the First Lady queried. With a concerned look, she knelt beside the younger woman and placed her hand above where the baby rested. "Donna, how long have you..."

"First one I think," Donna admitted. "I guess the party's over, ladies."

"I'll go get Josh," Margaret told her as she nervously gestured towards the West Wing. 

Minutes later Josh and Donna were bundled into the back of one of the motor pool Suburbans as Charlie drove them through the slushy streets of DC to George Washington University Hospital where Dr. McFadden waited for them.

"She's early," Josh whispered as he held Donna's hand.

"It's going to be fine, Josh" Donna reassured him. It occurred to her that suddenly their roles were reversed. Throughout her pregnancy Josh had been the one who was sure everything would be fine while Donna worried over everything, but now that her labor had begun it was Josh who was panicked. "It's only a few weeks early. She's ready to be born. Who knows maybe we'll have the New Year's baby," she teased him.

"Oh God," Josh said on a strangled groan.

Donna regretted those words later though as she panted through yet another contraction as the clock on the opposite wall crept closer to midnight. After the contraction was over she looked heavenward and said, "I swear I was joking! I didn't mean it! I don't want to have the New Year's baby!"

"You're doing just fine Donna," Dr. McFadden assured her.

"How much longer?" Josh asked as he wiped the sweat from Donna's forehead.

"Not much longer," she replied.

"That's what you said an hour ago," Donna whimpered as she once again pushed.


	10. Chapter Ten

CJ walked to the podium and began her briefing, "Good morning and welcome to the new year."

Calls of "CJ!" quickly filled the room.

"Please, settle down. Let me make a few announcements, and then we'll get to questions. Same as every other day," CJ reminded them. "First, since I know you're dying to ask about it. Yes, I'm pleased to announce that DC's New Year's baby was born last night to Deputy Chief of Staff Joshua Lyman and his wife Donnatella. Mother and daughter are doing fine. They've named her Joan Delores Lyman. Josh has already nicknamed her Jodi."

As she paused for breath, the press corp again launched into it's chorus of "CJ!"

"Paul," she said pointing to the reporter in question.

"The layette from the DC Merchant's Association," he began.

"Donna and Josh wish to thank them, but they will be donating it to one of the battered women's shelters here in town for some child who needs it more than Jodi," she explained then called on the next raised hand. "Yes, Danny."

"How's Josh taking to fatherhood?" he asked with a grin.

"Jodi has her daddy wrapped firmly around her little finger already," CJ confirmed.

Just two weeks later, Josh carried Jodi into the White House with Donna at his side. They were stopped constantly on their way to visit the Oval Office. The President had requested they bring the baby into visit when Donna felt up to it, and today was the day. The weather had warmed enough to melt the rest of the snow off the streets making it warm enough to bring the baby out of the house. They had been stopped yet again beside Margaret's desk so she too could hold the baby when Leo opened the door to his office and stepped out.

"My turn, Margaret. Come to Grandpa Leo, sweetheart," he crooned as he took the baby from his astonished assistant. Josh and Donna didn't even try to hide the smiles on their faces. Leo had been a regular visitor at their home in the past two weeks as had most of their friends, or as regular as stopping in to see the baby at midnight on their way home from work could be. "You bring her in to meet her Grandpa Jed?" he asked with a gentle smirk. Jodi had opened her eyes and was batting unsuccessfully at Leo's nose.

"Yeah," Donna admitted as she watched Leo play with her daughter.

"Ok," Leo said as he handed Jodi back into her mother's arms. "Stop by before you go," he ordered them before pressing a quick kiss to the baby's forehead. 

Mary, the President's current assistant, stood to usher them in as they approached the outer office. "Go on in," she told them. "I think he wants an excuse to get out of this meeting."

They were greeted by a relieved commander in chief as they entered the Oval Office. "Josh! Donna!" he said as he rose from his seat. Coming towards them he held out his arms for the baby. "I finally get to meet this granddaughter of mine," he said as he took the baby from Donna's arms. The other guests rose as well.

"Mary," Josh said coolly coming to stand with his arm around Donna. "Al, it's good to see you again," Josh told the reverend. "Thank you for the gift you sent for Jodi."

"It was my pleasure, Josh" Reverend Caldwell told him leaning over to get a better look at the baby in the President's arms. "She's going to be a heartbreaker," he predicted.

"She already is," Donna told him. "She's got all the guys wrapped around her finger."

"You have a beautiful daughter, Josh" Mary Marsh conceded.

"Come on Mary," Al told her. "We can discuss this further at another time, Mr. President."

"Thanks, Al" Bartlet agreed. After the two conservatives had left the room he said, "You've come to my rescue yet again, Josh."

"Always happy to be of service, sir" Josh quipped.

As Jodi began to fret in his arms, the President began to gently sway back and forth soothingly. "It seems only yesterday when Annie was this young," the President mused. Bartlet continued to rock the baby as the White House photographer took a few pictures. He turned his attention back to Josh and said, "We're doing for her, Josh. For our children and our children's children. We're doing this...all the long hours, the struggle, the pain. We're doing it to make a better world for them. The good fight....not a bad thing to fight for. Huh, Joshua?" Bartlet had asked as he'd contentedly rocked the baby in his arms.

"She's definitely worth fighting for, sir" Josh assured him as he watched the leader of the free world hold his daughter.

"How are you feeling, Donna?" the President asked.

"Stronger, sir" Donna answered as she reached forward to trace a finger along her daughter's tiny arm. She felt Josh's arm snake around her waist just before he pulled her to him. "Like I could do anything for her."


End file.
